Kabanov homeless in the QMJHL?

When the New York Islanders returned promising forward Kirill Kabanov to major junior, it was with the hope that he’d work on a few aspects of his game.

But that’s hard to do when the enigmatic Russian hasn’t been able to play.

A member of the now-defunct Lewiston MAINEiacs last season, Kabanov’s rights were picked up by the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. But with two imports already on the roster in the form of Ilya Nikolaev and Viktor Hertzberg, the Armada currently do not have a spot available for Kabanov.

The Armada may be forced to move one of their imports. The club just brought back the 20-year-old Hertzberg, so it’s unlikely his situation will be affected. The club does have the option of releasing Nikolaev, 17, but with the Armada building more towards the future that move makes little sense.

Or Kabanov is dealt. A trade would mark Kabanov’s fourth QMJHL organization in a span of two years.

Kabanov and his agent are rumoured to be trying to find a solution, but at this point Kabanov has yet to find a home.